The Pebble Effect
by lavender-cornell
Summary: Something as seemingly insignificant as a flower changes the path Sasuke, Sakura, and Itachi were previously doomed to walk. SakuSasu/slightSakuIta
1. Prologue

Summary: Something as seemingly insignificant as a flower changes the path Sasuke, Sakura, and Itachi were previously doomed to walk. SakuSasu/slightSakuIta

The Pebble Effect

Prologue

When the pain became intolerable, Itachi quickly stood and turned to his partner. "I have business to attend to. When I'm done, I'll return." Kisame gave him a curious look, but didn't speak on the matter. With a nod of his head, his fish-like eyes returned to the bingo book he had been studying. It wasn't the first time the Uchiha randomly took off to handle his so called business.

The foliage around him felt as though it was getting thicker, but he knew it was only the heaviness of his limbs deceiving him. Itachi was just far enough away from their camp sight when he could contain his coughs no longer. The last thing he needed was for Kisame to discover the state he was in. Blood accumulated in his throat only to find its way to the ground where he knelt, doubled over in agony.

This was bad. Never had his sickness caused so much trouble. Actually, with the stronger medicines he had been using, it should have been a little easier. He blindly grabbed at his chest as the next wave of pain hit him. The action caused a white flower to slip out beside him. Staring down at it, he quickly realized it was the flower a small girl had distractedly placed on their table in a tea house they had recently visited. She had apparently grown bored with its beauty and ditched it as her mother dragged the child through the exit.

Curiosity made him pick it up for a quick whiff, only to be disappointed by its lack of smell. As for why he bothered to stuff the thing in his cloak, even Itachi couldn't fathom any actual reason. Now as he studied the bruised petals, the truly frail nature of life became apparent to him. He thought about his childhood with Sasuke. 'Is all beauty so fleeting,' he wondered.

Sakura jerked to a halt when she felt her mind become fogged with what she immediately knew to be a mid-level genjutsu. Whoever set it up wasn't attacking her directly, only aiming to prevent her and anyone else from entering the vicinity. She wanted to know why, but not bad enough to stray from the path that would lead to her one man mission. She had to gather Intel on a petty crime lord of a near by village. With the chunin exams nearing, Sakura wanted be sure her stats weren't too lacking in the missions completed department. Not having an actual team already made her look bad enough.

When she broke the jutsu, though, Sakura realized she was closer to the offender than she originally anticipated. Through a near by bush, she could hear heavy labored breathing and see hints of red peeking through the green. She dashed around it and saw him. What had originally shocked her was the sight of his cloak, which tagged him as a member of Akatsuki. When he looked up, her heart sank.

The sharingan wasn't activated like she was told it would be. She knew it was him, though. The likeliness to her beloved teammate was unmistakable. Shaking herself of the shock, Sakura quickly focused on any and everything that wasn't those dark grey eyes. Sakura counted herself lucky that he was in so much pain. It was the only reason she didn't feel the agony of a sword piercing her body for the next seventy-something hours. To ensure this stroke of good fortune didn't change, she hastily pulled out a vile of clear liquid.

Itachi's arms shook under his weight as he tried to lift his head high enough to see what the leaf kunoichi was up to. Her eyes were trained on his neck. Before Itachi could react, she was on top of him injecting some sort of liquid into his body. When the pain he felt lessened somewhat, he knew it was a paralyzing agent. She would likely kill him once she deemed him incapable of defending himself. That, or drag his heavily drugged body to Konoha for extensive interrogation and then death. Either way, it would leave his brother in a bad position.

There was really only one thing he could do. It might even help him, considering who she was and whose side she was on. "Wait! I'll tell you the truth behind the massacre and then if you still want to kill me you can do so."

Sakura could barely make out exactly what he said over the sound of her heart thumping wildly in her chest. Oh how she itched to drag the kunai in her hand across his throat. What could he possibly tell her that would make her reconsider? Sakura could think of nothing in her current situation. Under any other circumstances, she would jump at the chance to hear what he had to say. However, even with him collapsed and paralyzed, she was frightened beyond belief. Her hands shook like his arms did, and the realization made her step back.

She needed to calmly assess everything. Itachi was in front of her, incapacitated. He was actually pleading to give her information. She could sense no one else around, so she didn't think his partner would be an immediate issue. Being that he was alone, Sakura figured it wasn't a fight that left him that way. Something was wrong with his lungs. Ah, there. The red tipped flower she spotted explained it all.

Straightening up, Sakura came to a decision. Itachi watched various emotions fleeting across her face, until it froze in something akin to confused determination. (If that were at all possible) "You inhaled a dangerous toxin when you came across that flower, but it's strange. I've never read about a case so severe."

Itachi took a minute longer than normal to process what she said, then frowned at the odd turn of the conversation. His voice was low when he spoke. "I'll explain that too. I'll tell you…everything." Damn! He could barley talk. "You sho-

She cut him off with a loud, "Stop!" Then more gently, "You will only further damage your chance of survival. I'm going to take you to the nearest shelter so I can treat you then call for back up and-"

She sighed when he nodded his head in disapproval. "What?"

"No back up. No one else can know."

Sakura suppressed a shiver. Itachi was either a really good liar or he had something very interesting to tell her. What she was about to do could be the stupidest thing she'd ever done. It could be the smartest. Sighing again, she muttered, "Only one way to find out," before lifting his body effortlessly and taking off.

It was well past midnight when she finally had him healthy enough to speak. They had settled in one of many abandoned cabins on the outskirts of a razed village. The original poison she used to paralyze him had to be replaced with something slightly less effective so that he could breathe better. As an extra precaution, she tied him down with razor wire. Sakura pulled out a kunai and pointed it at his face. "You ready?"

"Yes. Sit down."

She frowned at the command, but did as he asked. "And put the kunai away. Its unnecessary and you should just relax." Annoyed beyond all reason, Sakura pricked his side with the weapon. "Put it away, my ass!" she screamed. "And what do you mean 'relax'? This isn't a bedtime story you're about to tell me."

Itachi wanted to roll his eyes, but didn't. "Ok, if you want to be difficult. Well…" He started his story with some history, which confused her. She thought she knew all there was to know about Konoha's foundation. Then as he progressed further into his tail, she understood the significance of it. So many things that once baffled her now made sense. Sakura had always known about the massacre, but never really thought about it extensively. She knew Naruto didn't have parents. She never questioned why. How could she have been so blind?

By the end of Itachi's detailed explanation, Sakura was horrified. A coup? Ordered genocide? It was all too much to wrap her head around. The very idea that he was making it all up left her mind about halfway through. There was no way such a detailed story that checked out better than his original motive for the crime could be fabricated on such short notice. The fact that the elders had a hand in it only fortified her belief. And Itachi…

"Itachi! Sacrificing yourself is completely unnecessary! Sasuke, the villagers, and even the Hokage would understand. We could easily put those old farts in their place, I'm sure! You don't need to die. I-I can help you protect him." She gripped the blade in her hands tighter and lifted it to her chest. That's what it all felt like, a kunai to the chest.

"You don't understand, Sakura. I am going to die from this sickness and even if there was a way for me to live, it would be as a missing nin, alone and miserable. If through my death I can grant Sasuke the power to defend himself from people like Madara who want to use him, than why not?"

Sakura could feel the heat of her tears rolling down her face. She had to look away from his eyes. It was all too much. The bed shifted when he wiggled a bit to free himself. Still, she didn't look up. "He was your teammate. You care for him, right?"

She nodded enthusiastically and whispered, "More than life itself."

He smiled a bit at her answer before continuing. "Then allow my plan to play out, Sakura. There are obstacles he must overcome before he can live normally. I am simply the tool he will use to do so. Look at what I have done. Order or not, who would want to live with such a thing?"

Sakura was crying harder now and clutching herself as if she would physically come undone. "It's so unfair! How could this happen to someone like you…you" She couldn't get the rest out through her sobs. Itachi closed his eyes. He appeared fatigued before a stern look came over him. "Even when I am dead, you mustn't tell anyone of this. It would only cause more distrust amongst everyone."

"You have my word," she said, looking as if it pained her to do so. Solemnly, she asked, "Won't you at least let me heal you? Oh and when you fight Sasuke, I want to be there so I can heal him and take him home when I'm done."

Itachi nodded. "Do what you can, but don't over exert yourself. I'll let you know when and where when the time comes. Come alone or not at all. I can't have your psychotic teammate interfering. Train hard and become someone he can depend on."

She smiled at the mention of Naruto, and then deflated when she realized it would probably be a while before she saw him again. She could really use his warm personality to cheer her up at the moment. "Itachi, thank you. To me, you are the epitome of the perfect ninja…and an even better man."


	2. Chapter 1

The Pebble Effect

Author's Note: Things will probably seem like they're moving fast in this chapter. It's just my way of creating more arm room so I can write the way I want. It'll be better by chapter 2 and so forth. BTW Thank you to any and all reviews! They are like cherries on top the ice cream that is writing this. I will probably update this once a week, sometimes sooner.

Chapter 1

Sakura smiled warmly at Naruto as he proceeded to regale her with the details of how he was going to become stronger and stronger until he brought Sasuke back. A moment passed as she stared at him, delightfully inspired. Then out of nowhere, the determination in his eyes slowly dissolved into what Sakura could only place as melancholy.

Sometimes she forgot that she wasn't the only one missing the brooding ninja so much. It was times like these that made her want to tell Naruto the truth, if only get rid of that look on his face forever. He was the sun to her sky. Sakura knew that without him, having Sasuke back wouldn't even matter. That was why seeing the normally optimistic boy down made her wonder if telling only him would be so bad.

Still, she knew saying anything to anyone could have disastrous effects for Itachi's plan. Sakura honestly didn't know how she felt about what the Uchiha was trying to do. His intentions were certainly good, but were his actions truly necessary to see things end well? She was no where near as intelligent as Itachi, but Sakura understood his plot perfectly.

There were holes in it. Sasuke could get rejected by the village in the end. He could decide to settle somewhere else or be 'tainted' by someone like Madara. Itachi had even pointed out some of these possibilities himself. The worse thing about it, in Sakura's opinion, was that any of this could happen despite Itachi's sacrifice. 'If only there was a way I could save him,' she thought. Selfishly, she wanted her cake and to eat it too.

That was something Sakura hadn't told Itachi. She still thought about ways to make sure he came out alive in the end, while still making Sasuke stronger. As for the rest, all she could do was trust in the older brother's abilities. She would do all she could to see that things worked out the way he wanted. If that meant keeping her mouth shut, then so be it. She had given Itachi her word that she would tell no one what she knew. Naruto taught her that promises weren't something a real ninja took lightly.

She just wished Itachi had a little more faith in her. She could still sense the crow perched in one of the trees near by. The first time she noticed the damn thing was after a particularly harsh training session with Tusnade. It had been about three weeks after their run-in.

Her first reaction was bewilderment. The lone sharingan focused intently on her alluded to who it belonged to. Then she felt anger. Itachi certainly didn't believe she would betray him, did he? Well, he was probably just being cautious. It was his precious little brother's life at stake after all. If he really didn't trust her, he probably would have just killed her when he got the chance. Finally, she was mortified.

Just how long had that thing been watching her? Did it see her shower? Or what about that time she let Ino practice kissing her? She didn't want Itachi knowing about that, much less seeing it. Oh god, did he see it?

Her face had turned three shades of red before she charged at the thing in blind fury. Did she catch it?

No. That was far in the past though (just a year) and she could probably catch it now. Sakura just let it follow her because she didn't care anymore.

She had told the crow as much on the night Naruto returned. Like the raven in Poe's famous poem, it sat on her window sill for hours croaking unnecessarily. Needless to say, Sakura apologized the next morning.

Now as she pretended to listen to Naruto's adamant chatter, Sakura couldn't help her mind's wandering. She thought about that crow. She thought about Itachi. And she dreamed about Sasuke.

Pein dropped his arms down from their previous position. They had just finished sealing another tailed beast. He looked around at the remaining members of Akatsuki. Everyone appeared to be in a foul mood do to the lengthy process involved in sealing. They were making good progress, but it had come at a price.

Sasori had been killed by a leaf kunoichi and a retired granny from Suna when they captured the sand jinchuuriki. Hidan and Kakuzu had foolishly been defeated because of some random leaf jonin Hidan murdered. Now he was being told that Orochimaru just fell to Sasuke Uchiha, Itachi's little brother. Orochimaru was a former member, but the fact remained that petty leaf ninja had a knack for killing the people in his organization.

Well the timing was a little earlier than expected, but they were ahead of schedule anyway. He would show the fools in the leaf village what pain really was. For whatever reason, Itachi had been a lot more dedicated to getting things done faster. Pein didn't really care to know why.

He just concluded that the Uchiha were all insane geniuses. It would certainly explain Madara's choice in alter egos. There were but two jinchuuriki left to capture. Kisame and Itachi would get the eight-tails while Pein took care of the brightly attired Naruto. Before that, however, there was a pesky sensei he needed to handle.

Sakura's heart nearly jumped from her chest at the news. Sasuke really had gotten strong if he could take one of the legendary Sannin down all on his own. She briefly wondered if he would come back now, but dismissed the idea quickly. He would definitely want to fight his brother alone.

She glanced over to where Naruto stood beside her. His mind was obviously racing with thoughts. For her it was good news. It meant that Itachi's plan was working. How did it make Naruto feel, though? When he pumped his fist in the air excitedly, Sakura knew she had her answer. "Alright," he said, "Just you wait Sasuke! I'm coming for your ass!" She raised her eyebrows suggestively at that.

Horrified, Naruto quickly corrected, "N-No! I didn't mean it that way!" Giggling, she brushed the hand that reached for her away and strode from the office. She made her way home to take a much needed nap. A loud tapping on her window woke her hours later.

Sakura jolted out of the bed when she heard it. The chakra signature she sensed belonged to Neji and there was no way his presence at her house so late could mean anything good. She slid the window open and moved aside so he could crawl inside. "You can sit on the bed," Sakura informed him softly.

Her stomach twisted at his grave expression. Neji ignored her suggestion and said, "I'll stand, you sit. Tusnade will probably summon you later, but we don't think it's fair to have her talk about it any more than she has to." For a while after, he didn't say anything at all. She tilted her head a bit in annoyance.

Why did he feel the need to pause for so long? Did he think being regarded as a genius meant that everyone else needed extra time to understand him? Neji took a few steps closer and muttered, "Your teammate's sensei has been killed."

Sakura rolled her eyes. That was all? "Yeah, I know that already Neji."

"Not Sasuke's," he said. Shocked, Sakura nodded in understanding. Lord only knew what such news would do to Naruto. She wasn't sure if she should seek him out or let him deal with it alone. In the meantime, she would fix some tea to calm her nerves and listen to whatever else Neji had to say about the incident.

Sakura was a wreck two days later. Naruto left to train with some damn frogs, while everyone else pulled their hair out trying to figure out the secrets of Pein. For a little while, Sakura felt like she was drowning in her uselessness again. So what if she was one of the best. Healing people wasn't always enough. Then it hit her. She would use whatever time she had left to find a cure for Itachi's disease.

All emotional aspects aside, Itachi was still more valuable to them alive than dead. Anyone could attest to that. Back when she first met Itachi, Sakura had just started getting a feel for the medical ninjutsu she was now regarded as a prodigy in. Just like he did, she believed there was no way to combat an illness other doctors obviously couldn't handle. That was different now. Sakura had an idea of what he had and she **knew** she could fix him. The only challenge would be treating an unwilling patient.

Sasuke stared down at the ground. He was exhausted and frustrated. Deidara hadn't given him any clue as to where Itachi was. To make matters worse, he would need about a week's worth of rest before starting his search again. Karin Eagerly coerced him into biting her. Sasuke complied, and was halfway into completing the task when a clone of his brother approached him.

"Sasuke"

Sakura knew it would happen eventually, but why now? Itachi's shadow clone had just informed her about the fight that would soon take place. Naruto had recently defeated Pein. With her mentor in a coma, the village being re-built, and other villages getting antsy about Akatsuki, there couldn't have been worse timing.

There was just too damn much going on. Being that there was no way she would miss the fight, Sakura knew she needed to come up with a good alibi. She was needed at home and her disappearance would be noticed. Then an idea hit her. It was perhaps a little iffy, but it was all she had. Dashing through the forest where she had met up with Itachi's clone, Sakura quickly made her way back to the village.

She ran straight home to pack. Apart from the standard crap she always took with her, Sakura made sure to bring a change of clothes for both men. Her father wouldn't mind. She also packed a few extra bits of equipment in case she needed to operate on site.

Lastly and most importantly, she knotted a necklace tightly about her neck. Attached to it were three vials. They were the cures for the three conditions Sakura believed Itachi could be suffering with. Without actually studying him properly, she couldn't decide on any one. She had been sure to number them, because giving him vial one when he had the sickness that required vial three could cause more damage.

When she finished packing, Sakura left to put her plan in action. First she needed to find someone to report to. A new Hokage had yet to be decided upon, so she opted for informing her friends instead.

Chouji was the first person she spotted, along with the intimidating company of his father. She smiled politely at him before focusing her attention on Chouji.

"If anyone asks, Choji, tell them I'm off to meet with Naruto in Kumo where he is doing his special training. I miss him! And Captain Yamato probably won't be enough to control him if he gets any crazy ideas."

Chouji nodded, but his father stopped her before she could run off. "Wait! You will do more good here in the village. I'm sure Naruto can handle himself. It is just training as a precaution against the Akatsuki."

Sakura frowned. She had a feeling anyone older than twenty would logically object. Part two of her plan was needed, then.

Playing the part of a love-sick teenager as best she could, Sakura sighed dejectedly and cast her eyes downward. She tried her hardest to summon tears to her eyes with thoughts of Itachi's impending sacrifice. When she felt they were watery enough, her line of sight met his dead on.

Shakily, she said, "I know that, but I'm so lost without Naruto. It won't matter if I'm here because I can't concentrate on my work while worried about him." Before her eyes, Chouji's Father went from a grizzly bear to a gummy bear. Sakura smiled. And here Itachi though he was a good planner.

Madara nodded when Zetsu told him that Sasuke and Itachi were fighting. Zetsu mentioned that he thought Itachi would win, but Madara paid no heed to the man's (or thing?) words. He already knew what the outcome would be, and as such only needed to be there when it was over to collect Itachi's remains. However, when the time to leave neared, Madara encountered a problem. "Konan, don't tell me he got to you too." The damn Uzumaki brat never ceased to stand in his way somehow. By the end of their conversation, his good mood was ruined completely. He could just run, but she might cause problems for him later. Madara decided to just kill her and catch up to Sasuke afterward. The choice was a bad one, he would soon find out.


	3. Chapter 2

The Pebble Effect

Author's note: I decided that italics make for much better "thought" modes. Thanks again for reading and to the people that favored the story.

Chapter 2

When she reached the area where Itachi had informed her that the fight would take place, Sakura dropped down to the forest floor. Her knees shook upon impact with the ground. She was slightly startled by her own weakness.

Without even realizing it, she had put an enormous strain on her body in an attempt to get there as fast as possible. She dragged the back of her gloved hand across her forehead to remove the perspiration that had built up.

_Well, it's too late to regret it now. It was a waist, though. They probably haven't even started._

Sakura had agreed to stay far back until she was needed. She was aggravated that she couldn't see anything that way, but understood that it was for her own protection. She rummaged through her pack and grabbed a handful of her special soldier pills.

Forcing it all down despite her lack of hunger wasn't an easy feat. Oh, the things she did for Sasuke. Once she was well satisfied that her body was sufficiently fed and hydrated, she concentrated on the lone chakra signature just ahead.

Sakura knew it was Itachi's. She knew the only reason she could sense it was because he wanted it that way. His energy was like a block of cheese sitting on a trap. Hopefully, Saskue was a mouse and not a cat.

A good hour had passed before anything interesting happened. She didn't exactly notice when Saskue got there. It had probably been a few minutes after his arrival when his chakra first spiked.

Sakura was so engrossed in the slightest pulse of their chakras that she damn near screamed when an acorn assaulted her from above. In case the next thing that flew at her head was a shuriken, she quickly set up the most basic ninja traps she knew.

At the very least, they would prevent anyone from sneaking up on her. Itachi warned her about the possibility of other spectators. _Just how many people want to see this fight?_

Annoyed at having to catch up on what was going on, Sakura refocused on the battle. From what she could tell, they were still doing a shit-load of genjutsu. Suddenly it stopped, and she knew they weren't fighting anymore.

Sakura would have gone on a date with Lee and had Guy as their chaperone if it meant she could find out what they were doing.

In the end, she only caught bits and pieces of what was happening. That was until she heard a loud crash followed by the sky being enveloped by brilliant yellow flames.

She threw her head back and took in the sight, awed. _Did Itachi do that? Or was it Sasuke?_ It took all Sakura had not to charge through the forest until she came upon them.

_Just hold on a little longer_, she told herself. The thought of black flames lapping at her heels helped root the pink-haired ninja to her spot.

It was just so hard to discern what was going on. Sakura barley took notice when the sky darkened. The lightening dancing through the clouds was as ordinary a sight as any until one of the bolts struck right up ahead.

Horrified shock coursed through her body. _What an insanely powerful attack, _she thought. _Oh god, no one could survive that!_

Sasuke had been the one to deliver that strike, which meant Itachi was either dead or dying. For Sakura, that was it. She could stay away no longer.

She tore her way through the maze-like forest until she spotted them. Relief pooled in her stomach at the sight of Itachi's still standing form. Neither of them took notice of her appearance, or didn't react to it if they did.

Itachi was surrounded by what looked to her like a giant ribcage. Instead of attacking Saskue, he killed a giant white snake. Over the noise, Sakura heard Itachi say something about Orochimaru.

_That's what that thing is? Makes sense, though. Itachi said that was one of the benefits of fighting his brother. He could get rid of the Sanin's influence over Sasuke._

Moments later, she heard a rattling next to her foot. She promptly shoved her kunai into the head of a white snake. _Fucker._

Sakura's heart sank when Itachi released his attack. She could see him clearly now, and the sight wasn't pretty. To top it off, his chakra was fading fast. Sakura felt he decision to save him solidify even more.

It wasn't fair for one person to sacrifice themselves, even for the greater good. That was especially true for someone like Itachi. While deserving everything good the world had to offer, he got served shit.

As expected, he continued to approach his brother under the guise of obtaining Sasuke's eyes. Her head spun from the realization that if she didn't act fast, Itachi would die.

He had just collapsed by Sasuke's feet when she reached him. Sakura fell to her knees by the dying man. She took in the full gray of his eyes before looking up at Sasuke.

The younger Uchiha had a content smile on his face. The sight sent chills down her spine. It was scary how clueless one could be.

She shook the feeling off and pulled Itachi's head into her lap. Only then did Sasuke acknowledge her.

"What are you doing, Sakura?"

The way he looked down his nose at her made Sakura feel like the mud under his shoe. She ignored him for the moment, focousing all of her attention on saving his brother instead.

Sasuke looked as if he would collapse any minute. His chakra was nearly depleted and he was injured, but he would live. Sakura didn't even know where he found the energy to question her.

He asked again, only more angrily, "I said what the fuck are you doing! Why the hell are you helping him?"

He stumbled forward a bit and kicked her hand away from where it was healing the damage to his brother's body. Sakura felt a spike of anger come over her. Like she never imagined she would, Sakura told him, "You're annoying."

Then she grabbed his ankle and injected him with the same paralyzing toxin she had used for Itachi. All Sasuke could do was watch, appalled at how slow he was to react.

"Bitch," he snarled.

She smiled at him sadly before saying, "Its ok Sasuke. You don't know, after all."

Confused, Sasuke collapsed on his hands and knees. Sakura watched him fall with tears in her eyes. It was a pathetic sight he made, all rain and blood soaked.

Panicked, he thought, _what did she inject me with?_

"You don't know…," she said again.

"…just how much he sacrificed for you."

Sasuke passed out.

Sakura felt the muscles in her neck tighten. She rolled her shoulders to ease the ache before going back to the clipboard in her hand. Even though he was cured, it would take Itachi about another week before he was on his feet again.

He still hadn't woken up, but Sakura wasn't concerned. The only thing that did bother her was the state of his eyesight. From what she could tell, the ninja was nearly blind when he fought Sasuke.

After doing all she could, he would probably be able to see again. However, it wouldn't be perfect. It was hard to tell how much of an improvement she had made. If she had to guess, Sakura would say shapes and colors were discernable, but details were a lost cause.

She scribbled down the last of the information she had on Itachi's health before swerving in her stool. Sasuke lay in the bed beside her, Itachi on the other side. She was wedged in the middle with IV posts littered about the dimly lit room.

Her original plan after the fight was to drag Sasuke home, but with Itachi that was impossible. Instead, Sakura stabilized them before hauling their bodies to the cabin she and Itachi had first talked in.

She ventured into the nearest village to purchase some extra supplies from the hospital and set up traps around the shabby shelter.

Now, after all her renovations, it was a suitable place to heal her unwilling patients. Sakura smiled at what she was about to do next. _How often will I get a chance like this,_ she wondered.

Reaching over, she roughly plucked the sleeping boy on the nose. Sasuke promptly shot up. Or well he tried to, but the restraints on his arms kept him in place.

He growled out an obscenity, but didn't attempt to fight against the bindings. They would only slice him up. Sasuke knew it was Sakura beside him. If she were anything like he remembered, his life wasn't in danger.

Still, the thought didn't erase the twinge of panic he felt at having his eyes blindfolded. It was obviously just a precaution against his sharingan, but what if Sakura _**was**_ different?

She could have went off the deep end and sought out to take revenge on him. It would explain why she helped his brother. Was that not the perfect way to say, "Ha, take that you chicken headed bitch!"

"Calm down, Sasuke. We have to talk."

Sasuke swallowed thickly. "Talk? About what? I have nothing to say to you."

He could hear her shift beside him. It was to get closer, perhaps. Then she sighed and said, "I want you to think about everything that's happened in your life. Think about how it ties in with what I'm about to tell you."

He didn't know why, but Sasuke felt a little nervous at that. Whatever it was she had to say, he knew he didn't want to hear it. Sasuke had never heard Sakura use such a confident and grave tone with him.

A moment passed before she spoke again. This time it was almost a whisper. "I'm sorry, Itachi." She shuffled around again and sniffed. _Is she crying? What the hell is going on!_

"Sasuke, Konoha was founded by a man named…"

Sakura hustled to grab the nearest puke bucket she could find. Spotting the half filled bowl of water she used to bathe Itachi, Sakura decided that it would have to do.

She quickly handed it to Sasuke, who proceeded to hurl what little food was left in his stomach into the too bright porcelain. Afterward, she stood up and reached into her pouch.

Pulling out a kunai, Sakura swiftly severed the wires binding him. He sat very still and let her tug the blindfold from his face. Light replaced the darkness, just as knowledge replaced his ignorance.

He turned slightly to watch Sakura make her way to the door. She glanced back at him, face blank. "I'm going to get you some water," she said. The door slid shut behind her.

Sasuke turned back around and blinked at the bedside table, where a cool glass of water sat in a pool of condensation.

It was considerate of her to leave him to his thoughts. _What are my thoughts, though?_ There must have been a million racing through his mind. Having despised his brother for so long, it was hard for Sasuke to see him in this new light.

Love, hate, love, hate…love…

Sasuke wondered if he would ever understand Itachi. He felt like crying as he glanced over to the still form of his brother. If everything Sakura said were true, then he spent most of his life trying to kill the person who loved him most.

Sasuke shuddered. Had it not been for Sakura's interference, he would have succeeded. Itachi loved the leaf village. That much was clear. He chose peace over war. He decided to take the burden of his family's sin and shoulder it alone.

_But he didn't kill me…couldn't kill me._

To Itachi, Saskue's life was worth more than the village. To Sasuke, Itachi's was too. He watched the slow drip of the IV in his brother's arm.

Itachi was alive because Sakura felt the same way he did. She saved Itachi even after knowing it would put the village in danger.

Apparently not everyone felt the way they did, though. The village elders she mentioned obviously thought his brother's life was nothing when placed next to the Leaf. If they were so concerned with protecting it, they should have done something themselves.

Instead, they had the audacity to ask such a thing of his brother. He vowed to make them pay for taking advantage of Itachi's kindness. Sasuke, they would learn, wasn't nearly as nice.

Suddenly, a strange feeling came over Sasuke. For the first time since the massacre, he didn't feel lost. It was like a hole inside of him had been filled. Sure he was angry, even traumatized. But he also felt relief.

Sasuke felt a little less lonely. He felt lighter, whole, and satisfied.

The sound of the door being haphazardly thrown open, followed by Sakura's clumsy attempt to balance two full plates of food, pulled him from his musings. He snorted when she sat down and handed him one.

"Thank you," he muttered. He felt grateful.


	4. Chapter 3

Author's Note: Sorry for the absence! I had to adjust to my new job and get over my lack of reviews. Anyway, enjoy!

The Pebble Effect

Chapter 3

"So Madara and the three of us are the only ones who know about this?"

Sakura nodded and said, "I wanted to tell everyone I saw, but Itachi asked me not to. In the end I still betrayed him."

Sasuke gave her a hard look as he handed over his empty plate. "No, you saved him. You saved us."

Her eyes widened at the remark. _Is Sasuke thanking me? _She suppressed a smile and changed the subject. "Sasuke, what about Madara? He's probably going to come looking for you."

"I'll kill him," he muttered. He was slightly put off at the disbelieving look she shot him. Before she could protest, though, he spoke.

"I'm not underestimating him, Sakura. I've gotten a lot stronger, even since my last fight. When you told me the truth, I felt it. My eyes are now the same as my brother's."

He felt her tightly grip the sheets covering him before begging, "That's not the point! A fight with him will still be too close for comfort. At the very least, you should take him on with someone."

Though peeved at her lack of faith in his abilities, Sasuke knew she had a point. "Who then?" he asked.

Immediately after, they both turned toward where Itachi lay unconscious. Sakura exhaled heavily and said, "That won't work. Itachi's eye sight is too far gone. It's just another reason for you to kill Madara."

He cocked is head in silent confusion. Sakura thought it made him look like a puppy. She leaned back before continuing.

"I'm not really sure, but I think there might be a way to restore his vision. The eternal mangekyou is supposed to be achieved by obtaining the eyes of a sibling. However, if it is already activated in the person you steal it from, then that never fading sight could be granted to anyone."

He looked beyond intrigued at this point. "So what you're saying is that I should steal Madara's eyes? That would prevent me from going blind, but how does it help my brother?"

Before she could answer, Sasuke seemed to figure it out himself. "Ah," he said. "And you can do the transplant?"

She raised her eyebrows. "Are you asking if I can?"

Sasuke didn't like the smile that came over her face. Instead of answering his question, she pulled out a foreign bingo book and handed it to him. Sasuke opened it to a bookmarked page.

There was an obnoxious picture of Naruto mean mugging the camera. Underneath were bits and pieces of information about how strong and dangerous he was. _Why is she showing me this?_

"It's the next page, Sasuke."

Following her instructions, he flipped to the next page and saw her bright smile. Beneath the picture, it listed her as a chunin with monstrous strength. He didn't get it, though._ How is that supposed to…oh._

"So you're a pretty well known medical ninja. One of the best, huh?"

Sakura chuckled proudly. "That's right. I'm second to only my mentor, though between you and me…"

Sasuke shook his head in amusement. _Since when did she get so competitive? I'm guessing by mentor, she means Tsunade._

"I won't transplant your eyes into Itachi until I'm sure the eternal mangekyou works for you. As for the fight with Madara, I can't help. I'm a lot stronger than I used to be, but you and Madara are on a whole other level."

Sasuke nodded. He preferred it that way. Sakura would do better staying with his brother in case he needed medical attention or a helping hand in a fight.

If not Itachi or Sakura, then, who could he trust to help him? He glanced at Sakura. She seemed to be contemplating the same thing. Then, her head shot up and she gave him a pleading look. He knew what that meant.

"No! Sakura, no. No way in hell…"

She groaned threw her arms in the air wildly. "C'mon Sasuke, he's perfect! Naruto would do anything for you. And he's also the only other person we know who can defeat Madara."

Sasuke rolled his eyes and sighed in defeat. "Fine. Under one condition, though."

She sat up straight and blinked. "What condition?"

"I want you to help me kill the village elders."

Sakura felt her mouth go dry. There were two things wrong with what he was asking her. The first was that neither Itachi nor Naruto would agree to them doing such a thing. The second was that doing so would mean directly offending her village.

She would, in essence, be conspiring to slaughter the Hokage. That is, if Danzou was selected like they said he would be.

She brought her eyes from her twiddling fingers to lock with his. Had she ever been able to deny him anything?

"Ok," she said. "But it's going to be our little secret. No one else can know it was us, not even Itachi and Naruto."

Sasuke frowned. "And if I can't detach us from the crime? It's not exactly easy to kill them without being discovered."

Sakura visibly deflated. "Then we will just become missing nin."

"You're crazy," Sasuke said affectionately. She was still so devoted to him, even willing to leave her home for his revenge, just as she had offered before.

He decided then and there that she would be the one to bear his children. There was no one else more fitting. Sasuke stored the thought for later. There was a lot to be done before he could worry about that.

A wave of dizziness washed over him suddenly. He felt Sakura push his chest down. "Get some rest," she said. "You still need to give your body time to heal. We can figure the rest out later."

OOO~OOO

Hours had passed before Itachi woke. When he did, confusion washed over him. _Why am I still alive? Damn it, Sakura. _He knew it was a bad idea telling her.

He lifted his hand up to his face and removed the bandages around his eyes. The room around him was lit by a dim chimney fire and a few well placed candles, but it stung his eyes anyway. He was surprised by just how much he was able to see.

That too must have been her work. Itachi cursed softly before he noticed the person asleep in the bed beside his. Sasuke looked as peaceful as he did as a baby, tucked firmly beneath the sheets.

The sight gave him a mixture of relief and annoyance. Itachi took a deep breath before his eyes flew open in shock. The pain in his lungs was completely gone. He touched his bare chest in awe. _There was no way she could have…_

He could hear the distant sound of footsteps just outside. Itachi decided to give his racing mind a brake and just wait to ask her what the hell was going on.

Sakura didn't make him wait long. She drew in a surprised gasp as the door clicked shut behind her.

"Oh," she whispered so as to not wake Sasuke. "I didn't expect you to be up so soon."

Itachi sent her a glare in return. She bit her tongue against the temptation to apologize. Saying sorry meant one had regret for their actions. Sakura did not. If given the chance, she would do it again.

Instead, she muttered, "I couldn't help myself, Itachi."

When he didn't appear any more placated, she quickly added, "a-and Sasuke would be a lot better off with a big brother like you around."

At this, he seemed to relax a bit. What was the point anyway? What's done is done.

"How is he?" He asked.

"He's fine. So are you, I…"

He cut her off. "Yes, I know. Am I completely healed?"

Sakura nodded. She watched Itachi's face closely to monitor his reaction. It was blanker than Naruto's answer sheet. He pondered this new situation for a while.

Despite how nice it was, Sakura grew bored of staring at his face. She was pulling a needle out of Sasuke's arm when Itachi spoke behind her.

"We are even then, Haruno. I appreciate what you have done for Sasuke."

Before she could say the same, Sasuke groaned and sat up. He blinked away his sleepiness while taking in his environment.

When his eyes landed on Itachi, he froze. "Brother…"

Sakura backed away so that they could properly see one another. She glanced back and forth between the two, anxious for their next move. Then the strangest thing happened.

There, plastered on Sasuke's face was the biggest smile she had ever seen him wear. She tossed her head to the side and spotted a similar expression on Itachi.

Both of them looked younger and twice as beautiful in that moment. Sakura wished she had Sai's talent so that she could record the sight for future use.

Sasuke leaped from bed and padded over to where his brother lay. "It's true, right? Everything that Sakura told me…"

Itachi closed his eyes and nodded. "I'm sorry, Sasuke. It was the only way."

Hot tears coursed down Sasuke's face. He didn't bother wiping them as he knelt down next to Itachi's bedside. He felt elated and melancholy at the same time.

How long had he waited for that?

The sort of relief not even revenge could have brought him came in that apology. To Sasuke, it meant his brother wasn't a lunatic with no heart, but a saint bound to earth by his love for his brother.

Sakura considered stepping out again to give them time alone, but decided she was too damn tired. She flopped onto Sasuke's bed and dozed off. She woke again to find herself alone in the room.

She ran outside and then to the edge of the forest when she still didn't see them. Sakura knew she should stop and gather her wits before calmly searching for them, but could not.

All that she could think about was how she would prevent whatever new plans for revenge and mass homicide they had.

She was just about to launch herself into a tree when Sasuke's deep baritone rang pleasantly in her ear.

"I wouldn't march back to the Leaf without shoes on if I were you."

She turned around to face him, mortified that he had gotten so close without her realizing it. Sasuke stood in front of her smirking. He casually handed Sakura her boots.

Embarrassed, she accepted them with a small thanks.

"Besides," he said, "I thought Naruto went somewhere for his so called special training?"

"O-Oh, he did. But it's in the same direction."

He found that statement odd, considering the fact that her finger was pointed in the opposite way of Konoha.

"Where exactly did he go?" Sasuke asked.

She gave him a smile and, while awkwardly scratching the back of her head muttered, "Oh you know…some island near cloud."

He raised a brow, not sure what to make of her bad lying skills. She was obviously still crazy.

"Cloud is no where near the Leaf, Sakura. You know that since you're pointing in its direction. What are you hiding?"

Sakura didn't want to admit that she was frantically searching for him, so she settled on the next best thing.

"I was frantically rushing to see Naruto! That's why I instinctively ran toward Leaf, but then I remembered…and I missed him that's why…plus we need him…well, you need him to fight Madara…"

Sasuke had every intention of letting her babble on. He sort of wanted to see how long he could keep her that flustered, but Itachi appeared out of nowhere and interrupted at the mention of Madara.

"Madara is dead."

Startled, both of them turned to look at Itachi. He stood a few feet in front of them wearing the bland clothes Sakura had stolen from her father.

Sasuke was the first to ask, "How?"

Itachi stared at the ground, the wheels in his mind turning. "I'm not exactly sure, but I was almost certain he would seek you out after our fight. Something must have happened."

Sakura frowned, unwilling to believe such good news so easily, least she be disappointed later. "Who could've had the strength to do something like that? When we crossed him, no one could even lay a finger on the man!"

"I don't know. Honestly, it's just a hunch. He may be a talented ninja, but abilities don't count for much in a strategic battle. The slightest slip-up could turn the tides in a fraction of a second…"

"Humph!" Sasuke snorted. "That's wishful thinking."

Itachi shrugged. "Perhaps. That means you should keep your guard up regardless."

Sakura agreed. "Yeah, and Madara isn't our only enemy."

When Itachi threw her a curious look, she quickly thought of anybody other than the village elders that could be considered an enemy.

"I meant Kabuto, of course. He and what's left of Akatsuki."

Sasuke smirked at her again. She couldn't decided if was more sexy than scary. He said, "I killed Kabuto right after Orochimaru. At first I wasn't going to bother, but then I thought about his dedication to that disgusting man."

"I see," was all she responded with. Up ahead she heard Itachi say something about going back inside before they got caught in the rain.

Sakura walked slowly behind them, her mind reeling with all that had recently occurred. Her vision traveled up from the ground to Itachi's now visible ponytail.

_It's strange,_ she thought. _Until I really met Itachi, there was no one I respected more than Sasuke._


End file.
